Shepherd’s Pie (Cottage Pie)

Who doesn’t love comfort food? Especially during these chilly months when all you want is some good “stick to your ribs” kind of goodness. After all, we have all of spring to eat light!

Shepherd’s Pie fits the bill perfectly. You can essentially put anything and everything in it. And, if you assemble it on a lazy Sunday, you can have a filling and yummy dinner later on in the week!

I threw this little number together by digging around in the kitchen. With a few leftovers, frozen veggies, and a couple pantry staples, this Shepherd’s Pie was ready to fill the tummies of our little munchkins in no time!

Note: Eeek! I stand corrected! After posting this, I was reminded that if made with beef, this is actually called “Cottage Pie”. Shepherd’s Pies are traditionally made with lamb. I jokingly said that if made with turkey, it’s called “Thanksgiving Pie”. 🙂

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Shepherd’s Pie
Serves Approximately 6-8

Ingredients:

1 Pound Lean Ground Beef (or substitute with Ground Turkey)
½ Cup Yellow Onions, diced
½ Cup Celery, diced
1 Tablespoon Garlic, minced
1 Teaspoon Fresh Thyme
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1½ Cups Frozen Vegetables (Peas, Corn, Carrots, etc.)
1½ Cups Beef Gravy
3 Cups Mashed Potatoes
3 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat oil. Add onions, celery, and garlic and cook until they are translucent but not browned—approximately 5-6 minutes. Remove to a clean dish. In the same skillet, add the ground beef and cook until browned. Using a large spoon, discard any excess fat/grease. Add the onions, celery, and garlic mixture back to skillet and stir well. Add the worcestershire sauce, thyme and cook for an additional minute. Add frozen vegetables and gravy and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover a large casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour the ground beef/vegetable mixture into the dish and spread evenly. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top and carefully spread to create an even layer. Sprinkle parmesan cheese all over the top and place the dish in the preheated oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Turn the oven broiler on and brown the top of the Shepherd’s Pie until it turns an even golden brown color.

Remove from the oven and allow to set for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!